ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy 2021 in Tokyo – Preview

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series 2021/22 continues this week with the NHK Trophy in Tokyo (JPN). The 2021 ISU World Ice Dance Champions Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (RUS) and World Pair Skating Champions Anastasia Mishina/Alexandr Galliamov (RUS) start their Grand Prix season in Japan, while 2018 Olympic silver medalist Shoma Uno (JPN) and Kaori Sakamoto (pictured, JPN) aim to secure spots in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.

Two-time ISU World silver medalist Shoma Uno (JPN) leads the Men and is looking for his first Grand Prix victory since 2018, but he has to watch out for Vincent Zhou (USA) who beat him at Skate America last month to take the gold medal. Both have a good chance of qualifying for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Other contenders include Matteo Rizzo (ITA), who enters his first Grand Prix event this season, and Junhwan Cha (KOR), who finished fifth last week at the Grand Premio d’Italia. Makar Ignatov (RUS) hopes to improve on his result from Skate Canada International where he finished fourth.

Kaori Sakamoto (JPN), the 2018 Four Continents Champion, headlines the Women’s field and still has a chance to qualify for the Final after coming fourth at Skate America. The challenge should come from Daria Usacheva (RUS), who took silver in Las Vegas, and the Skate America bronze medalist Young You (KOR), as well as Alysa Liu (USA).

In the Pairs, 2021 ISU World Champions Anastasia Mishina/Alexandr Galliamov (RUS) will face two-time ISU World silver medalists Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov (RUS), who won in Las Vegas and aim to book their spot in the Final. Skate America silver medalists Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) and Skate Canada bronze medalists Ashley Cain-Gribble/Timothy LeDuc (USA) will target the podium again and have chances to reach the Final.

2021 ISU World Ice Dance Champions Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (RUS) compete in their first ISU Grand Prix event this season. Competition should come from Skate America silver medalists Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA), who hope to book a ticket to the Final. Sara Hurtado/Kirill Khaliavin (ESP), Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR) and Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha (CAN) are aiming at a podium finish this week as well.

Fifty-three competitors representing 10 ISU members have been entered for the event.

Schedule of the event

Friday, November 12: Pairs Short Program, Rhythm Dance, Women’s & Men’s Short
Saturday, November 13: Pairs Free Skating, Free Dance, Women’s & Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, November 14: Exhibition Gala

Viewers will be able to watch the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series either via their national broadcaster / channel or via the Skating ISU YouTube Channel for countries where there is no broadcaster agreement in place. For more information please see here.